Peripheral opioid modulation of visceral pain.

1Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242-1109, USA. gf-gebhart@uiowa.edu

Abstract

Opioids are widely and successfully used for control of pain, including pain arising from the viscera. Constipating, sedating, respiratory depressant and other effects of opioids, however, often limit their long-term use in the treatment of a variety of visceral pain states. Accordingly, understanding visceral pain mechanisms and its modulation is important to developing improved strategies for pain control.